Attachment plug base



Oct. 25, 1938. 5 REGIS ATTACHMENT PLUG BASE Filed Jan. 26, 1935 llllll A H JW\ INVENTOR. ELIX S Pas/s.

Patented Oct. 25, 1938 ATTACHMENT PLUG BASE Felix s. Regis, Chisholm,-

Application January 26, 1935 Serial No.3,58 6

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to attachment plugs whereby the feed conductors leading to electrically operated devices such, for example, as vacuum cleaners, lamps, irons, toasters, etc., may

be brought into electrically connected relation with the terminals of a supplemental device, or with a floor, baseboard or wall receptacle connected with a source of electrical energy.

More particularly the invention relates to an m attachment plug base and may form an integral part of a wall receptacle into which the prongs of a plug-cap on the end of the wire leading to an electrical appliance may be inserted for establishing the electrical contact.

15 In the use of such attachment plugs the rigid contact elements are sometimes held by the spring terminal strips of the supplemental plug base members in a loose manner, thereby cutting off electrical contact, or the spring tension after 30 considerable use weakens so that the plug cap is easily and many times accidentally Withdrawn, which is very inconvenient in the case of the operation of a washing machine, vacuum cleaner, or the like, as the operator then has to stop work and make the connection again, or in most cases replace the plug itself.

Therefore it is the principal object of my present invention to provide a plug cap receptacle which is provided with a constant spring tension 30 and which will hold the prongs of the plug cap in engagement therewith as against all normalstrains, but of course will permit of the withdrawal of the plug cap whenever desired.

In the drawing, which accompanies and forms part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an attachment plug base embodying the in- 40 vention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 22, Figure 1.

In external view my invention resembles any standard make of plug base and comprises the 5 generally circular body portion I, about the outer approximate half of which is the circular metal contacting plate 2, having the usual screw threaded portion pressed therein as clearly indicated in Figure 1 and by means of which my plug base 50 is screw threadedly applied to any attachment receptacle. A cap or end piece 3 is held on the end of the base by means of the rivet 4 which passes through aligned axial holes in the body portion and cap and holds the several parts of my devic 55 together.

In the plug base as found on the market there are two oppositely disposed cut-out portions or channels, rectangular in shape, as indicated at 5, and for the purposes of my invention I have cut out two other similarly shaped and slightly 5 enlarged oppositely disposed portions as indicated at 5; they lying in a plane at right angles to the channels 5 these being each a continuation of the I smaller rectangular opening 1 in the face of the plug base providing entrance passageways for the prongs of the cooperative plug-cap, a fractional portion of said prongs being indicated at 8 in Figure 1. 7

Within one of these openings 6 I have installed a contact plate 9, one endofwhich is turned over at right angles forming a flange I!) which overlaps and rests upon the end of the body portion, and the other end of the contact plate is flared outwardly for convenient guidance of the prongs 8 when inserted and frictionally engaged therewith. In the other opening 6 there is installed a somewhat similar contact plate ll, one end of which is also turned over at right angles forming a flange l2 which rests upon a stepped section of the body portion and extends to and makes an electrical contact with the rivet 4. About the rivet 4 and within the cap 3 there is provided a sleeve l3, which also has a flange about its lower end making contact with the flange l2 to further insure a positive connection. v

The other end of this contact plate H is also flared outwardly for convenience in inserting the prongs 8. Behind each contact plate 9 and II there is an insulating block l4, each of which may yield horizontally in the cut-out portions 6 sufiiciently for the contact prongs 8 to engage the contact plates 9 and II betweenthem and the body portion, and, so that this frictional contact may be greater and positively establish an electrical connection, I have installed the contractile spring l5 about these insulating filler blocks I4 and which of course constantly urges the contact plates inwardly. The ends of the spring l5 are turned inwardly about the corners of one of the cut-out portions 5, and there is an inwardly bowed portion I6 of the spring which extends within the other cut-out portion 5, which are simply to prevent rotation of thespring.

While I have illustrated the invention as applicable specifically to an electrical plug-base, it I which will positively insure an electrical connection when the prongs of a cooperative plug cap are inserted therewithin, and which connection will remain closed as against all accidental strains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with an electrical plug base having an axial body portion with opposed vertically disposed channels in opposite outer sides of said axial portion, of similar opposed channels lying in a plane mutually at right angles to that of said first mentioned channels, contact blades yieldably mounted within said last mentioned channels, laterally reciprocal insulating blocks within said channels and contacting said blades, and resilient means cooperatively held g 7 2,184,204 provided an electrical plug base, or appliance,

against rotation within said first mentioned channels and engaging said blocks for holding them tightly against said blades.

2. An electrical plug base of the class described comprising a body portion having opposed vertically disposed cut-out portions upon opposite sides of said body portion, and openings therein lying in a plane mutually at right angles to that of said cut-out portions for insertion of prongs of a cooperative plug cap, contact plates within said openings, a laterally movable insulator within each cut-out portion and contacting said plate, and resilient means cooperatively held against rotation within said cut-out portions and engaging said insulators for holding them tightly 15 against the contact plates.

FELIX S. REGIS. 

